1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an endoscope and a washing apparatus adapted to wash the endoscope.
2. Related Art Statement
Recently, there is extensively used an endoscope whereby organs within a body cavity can be observed by inserting an elongate insertable part through the body cavity and various curing treatments can be made by using treating tools inserted through a treating tool channel as required.
It is indispensable to wash and sterilize the above mentioned endoscope particularly in case it is inserted into a living body.
Generally different kinds of endoscopes are often used in response to the using positions. Whether the endoscope is heatproof or not, the degree of the heatproofness, the proofness against the sterilizing liquid and the water-proofness are different depending on the kinds of endoscopes.
In the washing function, when the washing water temperature is made higher, not only a higher washing function but also a sterilizing function by heat will be able to be expected. In the case of the warm wind drying, not only the trouble of wiping off water drops deposited on the endoscope will not be required but also the growth of germs deposited on the endoscope will be able to be inhibited.
From the above mentioned reasons, it is desirable to warn water-wash or warm wind-dry (hot wind-dry) the endoscope. However, on the other hand, in case an endoscope having no heat-proofness is washed in warm water or dried with warm wind, the endoscope will be likely to be broken.
It is also desirable to sterilize the endoscope by using a stronger sterilizing liquid for a longer time but an endoscope having no proofness is likely to be broken.
After the above mentioned endoscope is used on a patient of a disease likely to be infected by B-type liver fever, amoeba dysentery or AIDS, it is always necessary to disinfect and sterilize the endoscope to prevent the secondary infection.
However, there have been problems that the information as to on what patient the endoscope has been used can not be recorded in the above mentioned endoscope and whether the endoscope has been used on a patient likely to be infected unless the endoscope is sterilized immediately after it is used or how the endoscope should be sterilized is not known.